Shooting a longbow, recurved bow or compound bow as opposed to a crossbow has always had the problem of the bowstring striking and chafing the archer's forearm as he or she releases the arrow toward the target. Forearm protectors of one type or another are, therefore, almost universally used, some independent of the bow while others comprise an integral accessory as will be explained in more detail presently in connection with a discussion of the related art.
Even with the forearm properly protected, there are other problems that need to be reckoned with and these have to do primarily with accuracy. If the bowstring and the arrow nocked thereon are permitted to strike the archer's arm in the manner noted above, the flight of the arrow is thrown to one side causing erratic flight and a loss in accuracy. On the other hand, if one bends the arm to take the forearm out of the way of the bowstring, a sidewise moment is introduced that pushes the bow in a direction other than in parallel relation to the flight of the arrow toward its target. A torque factor also enters the picture as the hand holding the bow tends to twist the latter as the arrow is released.
In addition to protecting the forearm, there is a need for it to be stabilized and prevented from rotating. While holding the bow with the hand, it still remains possible to rotate the forearm a quarter of a turn or so and this has a definite effect upon the flight of the arrow. Some skilled archers can, of course, hold the bow such that their forearms are in exactly the same position on each shot but this is the exception rather than the rule and most people find this very difficult to do.
Another problem has to do with holding the arrow against the arrow rest carried by the bow. Ordinarily the index finger of the hand holding the bow is raised up and placed alongside the arrow to hold it in proper position both against the side of the bow and on top of the arrow rest until just prior to its being released, but, this is a very awkward thing to have to do with the bow-holding hand in vertical position which is usually its attitude.
Last but by no means least is the common conception or misconception that the hand holding the bow must, for all practical purposes, grip the latter so as to be more or less aligned with the arrow rather than displaced off to one side thereof if the erratic and inaccurate flight of the arrow experienced by many archers is to be avoided.